Hot spots in cats

SillyMangoX

I thought my cats were getting their usual summer itch this year, which they are, but I feel so bad because it got to the stage where dude ripped a chunk of his hair out with the itch. The sore is red, hot and oozing.
Brought him to the vets this evening and he said that it was severe moist dermatitis (hot spot), and if left another day or two the skin may have started to die. So he's had an antibiotic injection and is on steroids for the itch, and also being washed with savalon twice a day (he has a cone on so can't lick this off).
Just wondering if anyone has any tips how to make things easier for him? He's so uncomfortable with it.
Also, would it be safe to wash him altogether with a normal pet shampoo or would I be better off wait for it to heal? Hes still a wee bit leaky in his sleep with his pee and wearing the cone means he can't clean himself off!

Ms Doubtfire1

SillyMangoX wrote: »

I thought my cats were getting their usual summer itch this year, which they are, but I feel so bad because it got to the stage where dude ripped a chunk of his hair out with the itch. The sore is red, hot and oozing.
Brought him to the vets this evening and he said that it was severe moist dermatitis (hot spot), and if left another day or two the skin may have started to die. So he's had an antibiotic injection and is on steroids for the itch, and also being washed with savalon twice a day (he has a cone on so can't lick this off).
Just wondering if anyone has any tips how to make things easier for him? He's so uncomfortable with it.
Also, would it be safe to wash him altogether with a normal pet shampoo or would I be better off wait for it to heal? Hes still a wee bit leaky in his sleep with his pee and wearing the cone means he can't clean himself off!

I have one of those cats and i use manuka honey (high grade) on the spot-works wonders and I never needed any injection or anything. I also noted that Boney does not lick that off..probably cause it's just too sticky but I don't know

SillyMangoX

Will try that today, thanks!
Woke up this morning and there was vomit and diarrhoea everywhere and he's after peeing himself (not uncommon since he's incontinant but hasn't happened in a while). Hoping it's just a reaction to the meds and not something worse on top of all this

Ms Doubtfire1

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Will try that today, thanks!
Woke up this morning and there was vomit and diarrhoea everywhere and he's after peeing himself (not uncommon since he's incontinant but hasn't happened in a while). Hoping it's just a reaction to the meds and not something worse on top of all this

Steroids have that as a side effect..ring your vet.. and get some advice? I myself would stop the steroids immediately but best to ring your vet.

SillyMangoX

He got no steroid this morning, had to give him a shower, and gave him some hills ID food, seems good so far but if he gets sick again I'll ring the vet and see!

Kovu

How did Dude get on after that Silly Mango?
Kovu's usual summer spot has flared up again and he got his first injection there yesterday. The vet was out testing a bull for me and while Kovu was prowling round the shed he was nabbed by the scruff and injected before he had even noticed the vet there

Have a foam/cream here called Clinisan that is used in the hospitals on bedsores and is supposedly very good. Just debating between that and the honey, only issue is booking myself in for 2 weeks of cat-watching a cranky feline who's not allowed out.

aonb

poor Dude
Did you try the high-grade Manuka honey?
Definitely worth a try for a non-invasive home remedy. Ive used it for years on the horses/hens. Never thought to use it on the dogs hot spots ...

My uncle who was a real old fashioned dog man, bred hounds, used to put a cobweb first on a wound then covered it in manuka honey - he used to say that the double effect from both would sort anything weeping or oozy or open! In fact when he was older and had a leg ulcer himself, he maintained he cured it himself with cobweb/manuka!!

SillyMangoX

It actually cleared up super well on its own, just with the antibiotic injection. We only did 2 or 3 days of the steroid as it didn't agree with him and just washed it off with warm salt water and it's now starting to have good hair growth back on it. He seems to be a quick healer!
With cats though I'd rather go with something natural like honey than any creams as they're quite prone to licking everything that comes into contact with them because they're nice like that! And anything that has zinc in it is a no no so just keep an eye if you do decide to use it

Kovu

SillyMangoX wrote: »

It actually cleared up super well on its own, just with the antibiotic injection. We only did 2 or 3 days of the steroid as it didn't agree with him and just washed it off with warm salt water and it's now starting to have good hair growth back on it. He seems to be a quick healer!
With cats though I'd rather go with something natural like honey than any creams as they're quite prone to licking everything that comes into contact with them because they're nice like that! And anything that has zinc in it is a no no so just keep an eye if you do decide to use it

Thank you for that

If I was using the second cream I'd have the cone on him 99% of the time and supervised while eating for the other 1%. I also have the blow up collar but that's easier for him to take off (he literally tugs it off with his front feet despite it being tight on him cause he's an ass) so I stick with the cone.

Have to pick up another injection for him on Monday so might see what the vet thinks. The only steroid he got was one injection a week, was Dude on a higher dose? Cause last year his hot spot legs only cleared up on their own after three months, we gave up after he ran away with the collar on and I thought he'd be hit by a car

SillyMangoX

That must have been so frightening having him run off like that, I'd be out of my mind!
Dude was on two tablets a day but I can't remember the exact dose, I'll check the bag when I'm back home. I think those injections are slow release so it probably would be a lesser dose than if he was on tablets but to be honest I don't find the tablets even that great to get rid of the itch for him. As well as the hot spots all my 3 get covered in scabs every summer, there must be something that grows in the garden that they're allergic to, so even with the steroids they're still being exposed to it so it's still very itchy.
We're going building a run in the next few months so it'll be interesting to see if this crops up again next summer with more limited access to what's in the environment!

Kovu

Oh gosh that'd be great to know what tablets he was on too, he's easy to get tablets into. It lasted over three months last year so don't want that happening again, was so horrible watching him attack his legs. And then he got really smart and learned that if he lay on my soft bed and twisted a certain way, he was able to contort and lick his legs :eek: Like seriously, how do cats figure out these things!

SillyMangoX

Just discovered my mam threw out the last of the tablets when we decided we weren't going to give him anymore, but they were definitely prednisolone tablets, just don't know the exact dose! Might be worth asking the vet about them, the dosage changed according to their weight anyway. Might suit him better than the injection! I know when peach was bad a few years ago she was put on Ovarid (basically HRT for cats!) and it really helped her but I don't know if it's still licenced for treating itches or even if you can use it in male cats! :pac:

Kovu

Well I just gave him 6ml of Convenia and he's now glaring at me like I just stole his birthday cake :pac: But it does seem to have dried up in the last day or so, prob because he's not allowed to lick it! So have to wait and see how that goes before I do anything further.

(Squeak got all jealous when I was making a fuss of Kovu after he stood quiet for his shot and when she sashayed over to see what was going on he gave her a pat on the head. Cats )

SillyMangoX

Agh, just after discovering another one on Dude. Yesterday I noticed a scab about the size of a cent on his shoulder, nothing else there. Today, its the size of a lid of a can, spreading up his neck and smells like rotting flesh. How in the name of god do these crop up literally overnight?! I gave him some metacam in case it's hurting him and will be on to the vets again first thing for another antibiotic.
I don't know how much more we can take of this. Between the hot spots and incontinence it's a never ending battle. Burst into tears the minute I saw it because no matter what I feel like I've let him down. He's not even getting half the cuddles that he used to because of the pee and the smell. I just don't know what to do anymore I might talk to the vet tomorrow about seeing if we can get a neurological referral anywhere to see if there's anything at all we can do for the incontinence

SillyMangoX

Dude will have to go on Atopica next year! Too late to start it for this year apparently because it needs to build in the system but at least there's options there now for the future!

Kovu

SillyMangoX wrote: »

Dude will have to go on Atopica next year! Too late to start it for this year apparently because it needs to build in the system but at least there's options there now for the future!

That looks interesting, wonder how expensive it is? Kovu has no insurance so I'm already paying through the nose each year for his itch shots.

How is Dude today? Does he get stressed about being an incontinent cat? Give him a hug from me and tell him he's still awesome

kathleen37

Do you know what's causing the incontinence?

We used to have a cat with terrible skin problems, and we used to get her shaved each spring. Really helped that the fur wasn't aggravating her skin, but she was quite furry - a mix so not a real long hair, but furry enough.

I was just thinking the short hair may help with keeping him clean with the incontinence too? As well as helping to see any hot spots once they start.

Kovu

kathleen37 wrote: »

Do you know what's causing the incontinence?

We used to have a cat with terrible skin problems, and we used to get her shaved each spring. Really helped that the fur wasn't aggravating her skin, but she was quite furry - a mix so not a real long hair, but furry enough.

I was just thinking the short hair may help with keeping him clean with the incontinence too? As well as helping to see any hot spots once they start.

Dude was hit by a car a few years ago and had his tail amputated, had bowel control issues since then if I remember correctly.

SillyMangoX

I've heard it's expensive enough for dogs but I've no idea in cats! It'd be worth if it works though.
He's grand in himself, you wouldn't know a thing was going on but the hot spot itself has gotten a lot worse. He got an antibiotic, hibiscrub wash and steroid cream to rub on it so hopefully it'll heal up in no time! He is also now sporting a rather fetching polo neck jumper to stop him getting at it
He doesn't seem to get too stressed about it but he's such a chilled out cat it takes a lot to stress him! i passed on your cuddles and got peed on for my effort :pac:

kathleen37 as Kovu said, he was hit by a car and had a tail pull injury. Was initially doubly incontinant but thankfully now just the bladder. I was thinking of shaving him too but the groomer I'm working with made a point. The fur does offer some protection to the skin, if I was to shave him it could get deeper into the skin and burn more, or else give him better lick access which would destroy the skin!

The vet did make a very good point today though, it may be excess weight pressing on the bladder and making things worse. He's not overweight, just on the higher end of normal, but if we knocked a kilo off and had him at the lower end of the scale it may take the pressure off. So the diet starts with the next zoo plus delivery!!

kathleen37

Yes, I see what you mean with the urine, burning can defo be an issue.

One rescue I volunteer at, had a cat hit by a car that also lost her tail and had lots of rear end damage. She was able to walk eventually but had damage to her bowel so was incontinent (but able to pee ok, so opposite to your kitty) This is in Venice (Lido) and it's very hot so she would get washed in the sink under the tap twice a day. She grew to love it and would jump in the sick whenever she wanted a rinse off.